WaterfallNear Me

Upper Courthouse Falls

Transylvania County, North Carolina

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height
Not recorded
Location
Transylvania County, North Carolina
Access status
Partial guide: Courthouse Creek Road is closed to vehicles, so the walk is about 4 miles each way
The walk
About 4 miles each way while FS 140 is closed
Ground & access
Long walk on a damaged gravel road, then an easy forest road. One creek crossing and a steep scramble path for the upper view. Sloping rock is slippery.
NC Waterfalls: Upper Courthouse Falls

Upper Courthouse Falls is a 7-foot upper drop above a 16-foot slide on Courthouse Creek, upstream of the better-known Courthouse Falls, in Pisgah National Forest. Courthouse Creek Road (FS 140) has been closed to vehicles since Hurricane Helene, so the visit now starts with a long road walk. Park beside NC 215 across from FS 140 and walk up the gravel road. About 3 miles up you reach the bridge over Courthouse Creek, where the trail to Courthouse Falls goes left. For Upper Courthouse Falls, stay on FS 140 for 0.2 miles to a sharp left switchback, go straight ahead on FS 140 (not FS 140B), and follow the creek upstream about 0.75 miles to the end of the road near the falls. Cross the creek and go a short way upstream for the base view; this crossing is harder in high water. A steep path on the left at the end of the road leads to the top of the lower section and a view of the upper drop.

Plan your visit

NC 215 at Courthouse Creek Road (FS 140), walk the closed forest road past the Courthouse Falls trailhead to its end at Upper Courthouse Falls

The legacy NC Waterfalls page gives about 3 miles of road walking from NC 215 to the trailhead area at the Courthouse Creek bridge, and NC Waterfalls gives about 0.95 miles more (0.2 plus 0.75) from the bridge to Upper Courthouse Falls. If the road reopens to the gate, NC Waterfalls gives about 1.5 miles from the gate.

Long walk on a damaged gravel road, then an easy forest road. One creek crossing and a steep scramble path for the upper view. Sloping rock is slippery.

Where to start

Gravel area beside NC 215 across from the gated FS 140 (Courthouse Creek Road), about 6.5 to 6.65 miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at Beech Gap. Do not block the gate.

Timing & water

FS 140 (Courthouse Creek Road) is listed by the Forest Service as closed due to storm damage, with no reopening date given. Walkers have been getting around the landslide on the road. Check current Forest Service closures before you go.

Before you go

No fee is mentioned in the sources read. Pisgah National Forest, Pisgah Ranger District.

Visitor information
Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.

Explore North Carolina

Waterfall location

Transylvania County, North Carolina.

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